Answered Prayers - Part 1

Good Morning FFFFs!
I hope your week has been as slow as mine. :) I'm really enjoying this slow paced week and the time I can spend just relaxing with a book. The weather earlier this week was so nice we had the windows open, but it's gotten warmer and we've shut the windows and turned on the AC.


I have to sit here at my desk at an angle because now the sun comes up earlier and nearly blinds me when I sit straight. Oh, well. It could be worse. :)


Saturday I spent about seven hours working out in the yard. I mowed, weeded, planted flowers, trimmed the ground cover (which was trying to take over everything), and did more weeding and trimming.
On Sunday there were babies at church! I got to hold and play with Princess and she even gave me several kisses. I love baby kisses! I also held J-J and his baby sister, Sweetheart. (Don't you like the nicknames I pick. :) ) Oh, I also got a bit of writing done.
Monday came and I chatted with one friend during the afternoon, walked with my best friends after supper and then chatted with another dear friend that evening. I didn't write that night.
When Tuesday came I got to relax and read. :) My sister and I did pit cherries. We do it the old fashioned way with paperclips. And that night I finished a short story.
And on Wednesday I was able to write that night, but had a little bit of an interruption when my brother and his family dropped by to pick up some times. The 3 older kiddos were full of delight at being at Grammy's and Papa's again. I took them out to play on the swings. When it was time for them to go, Funny Boy grabbed on to the swing as I stopped him and said, "No, not me go shopping!" :) He got over it though and gave us big hugs before they left.
Yesterday we went to Connie's to check our booth. Some things were gone which left room for the new things we brought. I also finished another short story and another part of "Dr. Morgan."
And then there's today. I need to clean the house and I'm supposed to go over sometime this morning and watch the kiddos while my sis-in-law goes grocery shopping to fill the new fridge. (She didn't want to have to take all the kids.) Mom is going over to help price since we have another conference in Wichita next weekend. Then this evening, S and I are going over to babysit the kiddos. We haven't done that for several weeks so it should be fun. No writing tonight.


This story was different. I had my three writing class students (in the girls class) each create a character for me and write a character sketch about that person. Then they all had to decide on which calendar picture they wanted to put their characters in and I was left with writing the story. :) And, since it is rather long, I'll be doing it in parts. I hope you enjoy it and tell me what you think.

click on the picture to see it larger

Answered Prayers

Part 1

    The sky was growing overcast. Storm clouds from the south were pushing their way across what had been a brilliantly blue sky. The rocky mountaintops stood half in shadow and half bathed in the light of the yet uncovered setting sun while scattered across them were a few unmelted patches of winter’s snow.
    “Come on, Sare,” Susan pulled at her sister’s arm once more.
    “Look at the clouds coming!” Sarah breathed, gazing in delighted awe at the quickly moving grey mass overhead. The wind, rippling the water of the beaver pond nearby, caused the reflections of the mountains and sky to blur. Swaying gently, the lush green vegetation made a soft noise in the quiet, early evening.
    Susan gave a sigh. “I know, Sare, that’s what I mean. A storm is coming and we’re a ways from home. Please come now,” she begged. “Ma will be worried, and Pa and the boys will come out looking for us.”
    At that Sarah reluctantly turned from her study and allowed her twin to hurry her towards home. The girls were nearly identical with light, curly hair and blue eyes. Strangers never could see the difference between them and even those who knew Susan and Sarah Smith well often second guessed themselves if they weren’t paying close attention. Though they were thirteen, Susan and Sarah were small for their age and often mistaken to be the same age as their younger brother instead of four years older.
    The wind had begun to pick up, whipping the girls’ dresses about their legs and blowing their hair back from their faces.
    “I didn’t know we had gone so far,” Sarah remarked after several minutes of rapid walking.
    Susan nodded. “I think this wind is making it take longer to get back. Let’s catch our breath a minute,” she gasped, turning her back to the wind and drawing in a deep breath.
    Not bothering to reply, Sarah also turned and together the sisters stood until they could breathe easily once more. “Now, we’d better really get moving, Suz,” Sarah looked up at the dark clouds overhead and noticed the fading light.
    Gripping Sarah’s hand, Susan bent her head against the wind which was growing stronger every minute and struggled forward. It was hard work but bravely they pushed on neither one wanting to get caught out in the mountains in a storm.
    “Sare!” Susan had to shout to be heard for the wind ripped the spoken words and tossed them far away to be lost in the great vastness of the mountains.
    Turning her head, Sarah raised her eyebrows questioningly.
    Cupping her hands to her mouth, Susan shouted, “Let’s be like the geese. One go in front for a while to break the wind. Then we’ll switch.” When Sarah nodded in agreement, Susan added, “I’ll go first. Hold on to my dress!”
    With her head bent low behind her twin’s sheltering back, Sarah found it easier to walk and breathe for the winds wasn’t constantly pushing, shoving and trying to blow her across the mountainside. After several minutes of walking thus, Sarah moved in front and led the way so that Susan could rest.
    This way, by changing leaders every few minutes or so, the girls managed to reach the sloping side of a high hill. Here they paused to rest in the shelter of a little hollow.
    “I wish I hadn’t stayed so long,” Sarah sighed. “We’d have been almost home by now.”
    Susan tried to encourage her sister. “I should have made you come, but I didn’t so it’s my fault too.” They both smiled. Both were to blame, but as their mother always told them, it was no use crying over spilled milk.
    “Suz, should we go on now?”
    “Let’s pray first and ask God to help us get home safely,” Susan suggested.
    To this Sarah readily agreed and both girls bowed their heads. They were not strangers to prayer for early in life both girls had found the Friend who sticks closer than a brother and daily committed themselves to their heavenly Father’s care, asking for strength and help for whatever came their way.
    After praying, both girls felt calm and were eager to finish their journey and reach home with its sheltering walls and roof, a warm fire and hot food. Rising from the hollow, their breath was nearly snatched away by the fierce gust of wind which swept down the hill. They had to climb that hill and go down the other side!
    Scrambling up on hands and knees, for the wind was too strong to let them stand, they pushed their way forward. The sharp rocks cut into their skin and the clusters of brambles tore at their clothing. Struggling, falling, panting, the twins continued upward. When at last the top was reached, they lay a moment gasping for breath and trying to calm their pounding hearts. It had been harder to climb that hill than they had imagined.
    Finally, Sarah pulled on Susan’s hand and together they began their descent on the other side. Going down was somewhat easier for they turned their backs to the wind and half slid, half scrambled down the rocky side until they were once again in the grass at the foot. There they turned around slowly.
    It was almost completely dark now, for the storm clouds had covered up the setting sun. The wind cut right through Susan and Sarah’s dresses, and they shivered. Oh, if only someone would find them and help them home, they thought. Neither one would admit it to the other, but they were exhausted and weren’t sure they could make it home.
    Suddenly a large dark shape seemed to appear out of nowhere and a whinny startled them.
    “What are you two doing out in this weather?” the rider hollered. It was Darline Blacksmith, a young lady who lived with and helped her uncle with his ranch. She knew cattle and horses almost as well as he did and loved nothing better than the wide open plains, the mountains and nature.
    “We went too far,” Susan shouted back.
    And Sarah added, “And stayed too long.”
    Darline had swung off her horse and looked at the girls a moment. “Your parents will be worried about you.” She seemed to think a moment. Then, pulling off her warm jacket, she put it around Susan saying, “You’ll have to ride before me. Sarah, you’ll be behind so we’ll block the wind. Let’s go.”

To be continued next week.

What did you think of this first part?